Hard Disk Activity Notifier

While the hardware manufacturer deemed it obsolete, knowing when your hard drive is being accessed can be helpful to unplug the computer while the OS is accessing data on the drive, an action that can cause file corruption.

As the name suggests, Hard Disk Activity Notifier is a tiny tool designed to help you determine when your hard disk is busy writing, reading or accessing files.

The setup is a quick and uneventful process that does not take long and does not require any special attention from your part. It is important to note that the program does not come with an interface per se, but rather it can be accessed from the System Tray.

Nevertheless, the icon is well suited for a utility in this category, especially as it gives out visual alerts whenever the HDD is being accessed. You can avoid unplugging your laptop or force shut down your computer when files or data are still being queried in the background or maybe, you have the impression that the PC is stuck, for instance.

Functionality-wise, the app is available as is and does not require any further configuration on your part. In fact, the tool has no Settings or Options and the only thing you can configure is whether it should run at startup.

It would have been useful if the program allowed you to set sound alerts as well in addition to the visual ones. At the same time, it would be helpful if you could change the color palette of the minimal System Tray icon so that you can be sure to notice activity, regardless of the Windows theme you have active on your computer.

In the eventuality that your hardware does not include anything that informs you whether your HDD is being accessed, then perhaps Hard Disk Activity Notifier could come in handy.